Devices are known in the prior art for grass and weed cutting, including devices for edging and trimming lawns, which employ shields, guards or housings to partially enclose the cutting and trimming elements. Examples of such devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,708,335; 3,006,421; 3,608,291; 4,200,978; and 4,584,771.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,708,335 and 3,006,421 there are disclosed lawn edgers and trimmers which employ vertical guards with flanges extending outwardly mainly around the upper portion of the guard and extending for various distances about the guard. The primary purpose of these guards being to discharge the grass and soil removed by the edgers in a lateral direction onto the lawn and away from the sidewalk for example.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,608,291 there is disclosed a chuteless housing for rotary mowers for mulching grass clippings and depositing the clippings below the housing.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,978 there is disclosed a shield for grass trimmers employing a flexible cutting element. As disclosed the shield is adapted for attachment to the lower portion of the trimmer housing between the cutting element and the ground to prevent the cutting element from being slowed or stopped as a result of contacting the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,771 is primarily concerned with a device for metering the length of a flexible filament cutting element for use in flexible filament vegetation cutting devices. In describing the metering device it is disclosed that a shield may be employed to partially enclose the cutting path defined by the rotation of the flexible cutting filament.
For the most part, the various housings, guards and shields illustrated in the aforementioned patents are not designed to provide substantial control of the cutting debris and improved protection of the operator.
While the prior art provides improvement in the areas intended, there is still a great need for a grass trimmer of the type employing a flexible cutting element which provides substantial control of the direction of discharge of the cuttings and other debris propelled by the cutting element away from the operator to thereby provide enhanced or improved safety of operation.
Accordingly a principal desired object of the present invention is to provide a grass trimmer of the type employing a flexible cutting element providing improved safety of operation.
Another desirable object of the present invention is to provide a grass trimmer having an improved shield that will propel grass or other debris away from the operator.
A still further desirable object of the present invention is to provide a grass trimmer having an improved shield which is light in weight to maximize maneuverability.
Another desirable object of the present invention is to provide a grass trimmer having a deflector which serves to protect the flexible cutting element, remove exess cutting element, and assist prevention of accidental cutting of vegetation to be preserved.
A still further desirable object of the present invention is to provide a grass trimmer of the above desirable objects of simple and inexpensive but sturdy construction and efficient in operation.
These and other desirable objects of the invention will in part appear hereinafter and will in part become apparent after consideration of the specification with reference to the accompanying drawings.